Additional people will be staffed along Sun Tran bus routes for added safety starting Wednesday in anticipation of the new school year.
Assistant City Manager Liz Morales says officials from different city departments will man about 60 transit stops across Tucson Unified, Amphitheater, Sunnyside and Flowing Wells school districts. It’s the first time the City of Tucson is trying this approach.
Morales says Mayor Regina Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz requested the program to “provide clear communications with students and families regarding transit safety resources and expectations for respectful rider behavior, and how to report safety concerns.”
For the first eight days of the school year, at least one city employee will be stationed in the mornings and afternoons, wearing identifiable vests, and will ride along with students if they ask for a chaperone. The goal, Morales says, is to be “welcoming and supportive.”
Tucson’s Safe City Initiative, approved by the council in 2025, cites schools as partners in efforts to mitigate violence across town.
In June, there was a knife attack on a Sun Tran bus that left a man injured. The suspect faces charges for aggravated assault and disorderly conduct with a weapon.
Residents have a chance to voice their feedback on any aspect of Tucson’s free transportation services at public forums beginning the week of Aug. 10.
The Safe Rides to School program will last until Aug. 14.
Romero’s social media announcement about the program generated hundreds of comments criticizing the length of the eight-day initiative and its effectiveness following violent incidents.
“This service needs to be CONTINUOUS!” one user wrote.
“My son will never see the inside of a Sun Tran rolling death trap,” another person commented.
Morales assures the initiative will inform future safety efforts on buses and could be extended for longer periods of time. She says Tucson’s transit ambassador program will also enhance safety once those positions are hired. Morales expects onboarding for the ambassadors to start this fall.
Union employees reached an agreement with Sun Tran in July after a series of negotiations. The company says the new contract includes “investments in security, modern technology, enhanced training, updated operating procedures, and improved operator protective barriers.”
